How to Make an Advanced Offering to Krishna

Advanced offering to Krishna refers to a procedure to offer food (prasadam) to Krishna. There are procedures for beginners in which food is offered with simple and silent prayers. Devotees may want to engage in a more formal offering, which also includes the beginner's procedure. "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it." The Bhagavad Gita (9.26)

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Clean kitchen
• Appropriate foods
• Dinnerware for Krishna
• Dinnerware for devotees
• Altar
• Image of Krishna

1. Clean hands and work area thoroughly. Cleanliness is a sign of reverence for Krishna. It is Krishna for whom you prepare the offerings.
2. Work with an attitude of devotion and humility. You are serving the Lord. Perform preparation duties as meditation. Recite a simple mantra to recall that the food is not the point of your actions. Devotion is the point.
3. Place food pleasingly on special dinnerware.
4. Perform the Advanced Offering. Approach an altar with an image of Krishna. Recite three mantras. Sing it if you feel like it. Dancing (Kirtan) is allowed as well.
5. Leave the room for five minutes. Return to . . . prasadam! Remove the food from Krishna's dinnerware, clean the plates and utensils. Serve the blessed prasadam. Recite the prayer for taking prasadam.
6. Enjoy Krishna's blessings, release from karma, but mainly, celebrate pleasing God.

Tips & Warnings

• Use only vegetarian foods
• Smile, Krishna is a playful and joyful god and is pleased when devotees are pleased to serve him
• Because it has been touched by Krishna's lips, prasadam tastes like nectar, which it is.
• Never taste the food while preparing it.